Kitten peddlers are trawling for animals

An animal charity has issued a warning about ‘kitten peddlers’ who want to buy the tiny animals to be used for dogbaiting and peddling.

It is believed the ‘peddlers’ are targeting Lancaster and Morecambe Facebook pages.

Posts have been put on the NEW Morecambe, Heysham and Lancaster past and present page, saying “Hiya, does anybody have a kitten for sale please, willing to travel message me thank you!,

Heather Wakelin, of Wolfwood Rescue Centre in Lancaster, posted to the animal charity’s Facebook page: “It has been brought to our attention that there is an unscrupulous couple appealing for free/to buy kittens and are willing to travel. We understand that they are notorious in the Liverpool area and are now targeting Lancaster & Morecambe via Facebook pages. The kittens are apparently used for baiting and peddling and could easily be advertised on selling sites for profit.

“Please warn others and don’t be taken in by them.”

According to investigations, sellers often use fake names, mostly female, to conduct the illegal trade and they belong to a wider network.

Websites, like Gumtree, along with Facebook, are commonly used to sell the animals.

The RSPCA said they looked into reports that kittens were being sold for ‘dog baiting’ in the Liverpool area and were satisfied this was not the case but strong evidence was lacking. Call the RSPCA on 0300 123 4999 or report cruelty online at https://www.rspca.org.uk/utilities/contactus/reportcruelty.